Week One: Hosanna Christian Academy.. Baton Rouge, LA

Hey everybody!

SO.

After a VERY LONG DRIVE. We arrived in Baton Rouge on Friday evening. It had been a long day, but we had NO trailer or van problems, which we have had in the past! Thank You for traveling mercies! Once we got into Baton Rouge, we dropped the truck and trailer off at the host building and went to eat dinner.

Dinner was very nice. We got to eat at a local Mexican restaurant, which is unusual for us normally it's home-cooked at the church or fast food for us, so eating out is a treat! When we walked in.. I couldn't help taking this picture! 😂😂

We actually have a bear at our Stafford performance space that looks VERY similar to this (minus the Mexican garb!) I thought it was hilarious! 

When we got back to the school (It's a Christian School this week instead of the usual church) We had to find the rooms where we were staying and the shower facilities. THAT was interesting. haha. It normally is for the showers. We never really know what facilities we are going to have until we get there! Sometimes it's a shower trailer, sometimes it's in the janitor's closet, sometimes in the bathrooms! This week we found our showers being used as storage closets, so we had to clean three of them out!  It was a lot of boxes and bins, but we were successful! 

Saturday morning we met for breakfast and gained two more of our staff members! We then had the task of unloading our trailer. ALL of our tour gear loads in the trailer. Portable staging, lights, sound gear, the works! It only took about an hour, so that was nice considering it was 90 *thousand* 😂 degrees outside! (WELCOME TO LOUISIANA! haha) Once we got the trailer unloaded, we took a break and had some lunch. I had some administrative work to start that needed to be done by Monday... So that's what I did... highlighting the scripts!

Soon it was time to head to the airport to pick up the rest of our staff! It was an exciting ride! It was lots of fun to spend time just hanging out with the staff! By the time we got back from the airport, it was time for a good nights sleep!

Sunday morning, we went to a local church. It's always fascinating to me to see how other churches lead worship services. I guess that's the worship major in me! It was a great service!

Sunday afternoon commences CAMP SET-UP! DUH DA DUH!! 😂😂 We set up the stage, synthesizer, sound and projection for camp on Monday. Setting up the stage takes interesting skills... being small is one of them. The way the stage works is the back row of platforms is higher, essentially making built in choir risers, but with no way to attach the platforms together. So in order to accomplish that, someone has to go under the stage and clip the back two rows of platforms together! This is Haven. She is the smallest staff member... this has almost always been her job, for most of her tour years! haha

Soon we were camp ready and it was time for another night of rest... but the excitement of camp kept me awake for a little while. My mind had to slow down! Eventually I slept. 😴😴

FAST FORWARD!!!!

Here we are at the end of Day 1!!

A very interesting and unusual thing happened today. Because it was a holiday, we only had two campers show up! The host had told everyone that even though it was a holiday, we were still having camp, but the families misunderstood. So what we decided to do was cast the two campers we had here and go ahead and give them parts and solos so they could work on them tonight and be ahead of the game tomorrow! They were great sports about it and were VERY excited to learn the drama and solo parts!

The camp day usually goes from 9 to 3, but the campers were picked up by 9:45! The staff decided that the best thing to do would be to learn the music and choral choreography, so that tomorrow they would be more prepared to help the campers learn. By the time all that was accomplished it was only 11:00! Everyone then separated into teams and started work on getting more of the set up done. Finishing the sound install, putting up pipe and drape to hold the back drop and get our safety system put in so that there is a railing on the back of the stage... it looks like this...

Eventually they will add a PVC pipe railing that will go along the back of the stage. It is designed as a way for the campers to feel the back of the stage and not step off... if they happen to fall off the back... the railings are breakaway and will slow their fall to the floor. You would think it would never happen... but it HAS!

A few years ago in Chattanooga, a camper had come back stage during a run-through

to get their mic. After changing her mic and sending her back on stage I had turned

to do something else. The next time I turn around, there she is on the floor between 

the backdrop and the back of the stage. Luckily, the safety rails did their job and 

she was not injured. It was also lucky that the camper was the host's daughter

so he was not upset and was glad that she was okay, we still laugh and talk 

about it today!

Now all is quiet in the gym. I am sitting at my administrative station basking in the silence! haha! The staff can be a rowdy bunch! But I love them to death. We have a much smaller team this year. We went from having 12 to 15 staff members last year to only having 9 this year! In some ways it will be harder because with more campers there are less staff to help, but in other ways we work much closer and have less time on our hands to sit around (which happens sometimes!) We all pitch in and help each others teams when we can! It is going to be an interesting summer, but I think a very successful summer if we all continue to work and grow together!

Thus ends this blog for today! It was a lot of information! haha... Hopefully soon I'll have exciting summer stories to tell!

Until then! 

Katie🎶🎶🎶🎶

SUMMER TOUR 2017 CHALLENGE!!!!

Well. I'm back again! It's been a VERY long time since I posted last. 2011 was the date I saw! TWO-THOUSAND ELEVEN! That's a long time ago. I would always come to this blog and say THIS is the year I am going to keep up with it. I am going to post every week and keep my friends and family updated on my summer! But then I wasn't ever sure how many people actually read this blog, and I would forget to get on and post something, then I would never go back and actually do it. Hence, TWO-THOUSAND ELEVEN. SIX years ago!

A lot has happened in six years, but one thing has stayed the same. SUMMER TOUR. Guys. This is my NINTH year on summer tour. WOW. I can't believe how fast 9 years has flown by! It seems like just yesterday I was interviewing to get this summer position.

So, in the past 6 years, I have graduated college, worked with amazing students teaching handbells, helped my parents pack up and move from my childhood home, and found an AMAZING new church family, thanks to my parents! 😀

If anyone reading this wants to know more about the past six years... You know where to find me! 😉

Here comes challenge... and here's where you, dear reader, come in. For all of you reading this, I want you to keep asking me about my time this summer. Annoy me. Bug me! Ask me how my week has gone. Or say KATIE, you haven't posted this week! (You all know my social medias: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat(if you have that haha) (Now, I will tell you some places we have poor internet, but I will post when I can on those weeks) I am going to post at least ONCE a week this summer! (For those of you wondering, I'm gone for 10 weeks. So at least 10 posts) If I have something particularly interesting or cool or fun or amazing, you may get an extra post!

So that's my promise and challenge for you. I will keep you up to date on all the exciting things that are happening this summer.

With THAT said, this sadly will be my FINAL summer on tour. (More on the future later!) I hope to be able to look back on these blogs and remember fondly all the memories and experiences that I had for many more years to come!

Thanks for anyone who has read this all the way through!
Feel free to leave comments and happy thoughts and check out my older blogs, there's definitely some good stuff in those!

Love you guys!
Until Later

💜💜Katie

Seizing Your Devine Moment

Hey Guys!

haha I have once again fallen off the blogging chain... sorry about that! But let me just update you on some stuff that has gone on recently.

A few weeks ago I finished up my third year touring with Frick and Frack Music, up and down the east coast... and once again it was AMAZING! :D It was sort of bittersweet to leave though, knowing that I may not be able to return next year because after I graduate THIS MAY.. ;) I have to do my internship for the Worship Dept. Maybe.. just maybe I can get it approved to travel for a 4th summer, but we'll see where the Lord leads.

I am about a month into my senior year at Liberty... and I am doing FANTASTIC... classes haven't gotten too bad yet... but I am taking three 400 level classes this semester so it is going to be interesting. I have not gotten to behind in anything and have yet to procrastinate.. TOO much... haha... so far so good.

Right now I am reading a book called "Chasing Daylight" by Erwin McManus for my worship 421 (capstone) class... (this is the big on with a HUGE project at the end...) and it has so far really opened my eyes to some things.

I just finished the chapter on Uncertainty... HA man is that something that we go through a lot! Throughout the chapter McManus uses the example of Jonathan and his move to fight off the Philistines with just his arm bearer and a sword. Jonathan knew that God was with him and would protect him even though he was uncertain if he would have to die while fighting for God. He had the absolute confidence in the will and power of God going into an unknown situation.

As I was reading, I thought to myself that I would never be able to have THAT much confidence going into an uncertain situation... but then I read this:

"He will shake loose everything in which we place our trust outside of Him and teach us how to thrive in a future unknown"

WOW... well that put me in my place didn't it!? haha... itsn't it funny when you think of something while you are reading and then what you are reading completely and totally puts you in your place! hahaha. Jonathan was a brave man and had perfect and complete confidence in God... something that we all should strive for. We should trust that God has our best interests in mind and He knows the path he has for us. If we put our trust anywhere but in God... we won't make it!

Chasing Daylight is a book that really helps you realize that you need to find your divine moment and grab it before it slips from your grasp! I'll update you a little more later after I finish the book.. but I know it's gonna be good! :D

Well I just thought I would let you read a little of my thoughts.. haha... I'll try to post once a month or so... just to keep you updated on things...

thanks for reading
until next time!

GODbless!
Katie

Busy Times!

Hey Guys!

wow... it's already the end of another school year... my JUNIOR year... i'm gonna be a SENIOR next year... in COLLEGE! wow... how time has flown by.. I feel like it was just yesterday when I was in the fourth grade doing a production on Annie, Jr. (good times btw..)

Well... this summer is going to be GREAT.. and I am SO excited... so excited in fact that I have felt lately like not doing anything.. haha (probably a bit of early onset senoritis as well..) But I want so bad to be in that environment... with my tour family again.. I miss every single one of them.. A TON! I am so glad that we have some new staff/family members coming this summer... I love being able to share the experience with more people.

My last two summers have been experiences of a lifetime... and honestly.. I could see myself doing this for a while.. it's something that I really enjoy..(even loading the trailer... which can be hard at times.. haha) I love meeting all the kids and even their parents... and seeing the amazing shows that they put on at the end of the week... THEY ARE SO GREAT!

haha.. if you can't tell I am in a super good mood.. and I am ready to be out of school for the summer...

I don't have any quiet time moments.. but I can give you a quote (like I promised...) here goes!

Difficulties challenge our energy and our perseverance but bring out the strongest qualities of the soul to life!"

well guys! that's all for now!
until next time!

in Christ,
Katie

Grace for the Moment

... So I thought I would just share a couple of things that I have read in my quiet time this week.. and for me... well it hit a lot of tough spots for me.

Let me start by just being honest... while yes I do have a quiet time... I sometimes on certain days fail to even open my bible, and then I feel guilty the next time I hear someone talk about their own quiet time...

Just the other night I was listening to a song that was written by a very close friend who I had not seen in almost a year (well up until yesterday, but that's another blog for another time.. haha) and I have to say... the song makes me cry EVERY time I listen to it... something about it really gets at your heart... it's the story of every person who has struggled with ANYTHING in their lives...

We worry, cry, smile, laugh.... such a wide range of emotions. The main lyrics of the song explain that we can't do anything in our own strength.....we can't DO ANYTHING without the help of Christ... only in Him are we Restored.

Here are some of the lyrics:

So why be downcast, oh my soul?
Why sing this song of despair?
God You alone can make this broken heart whole
These wounds only you can repair.

I will put my hope in You my Lord,
for in you I am RESTORED!

It's so crazy how God works... just a few minutes after listening to "Restored" I flipped open my devotion book Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado (very good for anyone who was wondering :) ) and the titles for that nights devotions (the way the book works is there are 2 one for the morning and one for the evening, but I just do both at once, they are very short and to the point) were God Listens & Packed for a Purpose

God Listens... man how I really need to hear that... for a while I have felt like I have been in a dry season... everyone goes through them... but being at Liberty.. I for some reason thought that I was the only one going through one... the one sentence in the devotion that got me the most was When you enter his presence, he turns to hear your voice. :D WOW... I had to sit back for a moment after reading that and just absorb it... God is always there to listen and hear what I have to say.. I just have to be ready and willing to enter his presence and TALK! I need to have open ears and an open heart to receive what God says to me in return.

Packed for a Purpose... well gosh... that just happened to be something I needed to hear/read as well... funny ain't it!? haha I have been struggling a bit over whether I am where God has called me to be... I see many of my friends in the worship department all of a sudden say "this is not where I feel called anymore".... huh... I actually had a conversation with my friend Emma (who wrote the above song ;) ) about this the other day... I told her that I am at Liberty University because I feel called to worship ministry.. music is what I am gifted in... I told her that if I didn't have music... I don't know what I would do... this particular devotion talks about the fact that when you were born God "prepackaged" you with a purpose and the tools for you to accomplish that task. God packed you on purpose for a purpose! ... Ah! just reading that sentence makes me know that I am where I need to be to work and strive to perfect the skills that God has given me! :)

Well... I think this is the longest post I have written so far.. but I just had a thought and had to write... :D

One more thing! I have started a book of quotes and verses and such that I can look back at when I get a little older and possibly share with future generations (kind of like the book in A Walk to Remember, if you've seen that movie), so I think I'm going to share just one every so often when I post... and feel free to write it down if you want.. I hold nothing on them!

"Oh, how much energy we waste! How much time we lose by refusing to lower the wings of our spirit and become totally quiet before him! Imagine the calm, the rest and the peace that will come as we wait in his presence until we hear from him!"

Thanks for reading!
until next time

GODbless
Katie

.... Okay well....

I suppose I just wasn't made for blogging.... haha... this is the first post I have made in almost 5 months.... I think that this will be the summer that I truly blog every week....

I can never figure out how people can blog everyday... I can never think of that much to write about. I think that I am going to try harder... even if it is just a verse that I read or a quote that made me think.... :D

Right now... I'm heading to bed.... it's 2 in the morning and I have church tomorrow...

until then
Katie

So I have decided....

that I COMPLETELY FAIL.. as a blogger... haha.. this is how it happens.. I say I am going to do something... and then it never happens... :(

I really did intend on keeping everyone up to date on my travels over the summer... but I guess that rarely happened... AHHH!!!

I feel like there is someone out there that was waiting and waiting and waiting for me to post something new... and I never did... they could have been waiting forever....

huh.. that kinda sounds like God and our prayer life and quiet time... He waits and waits and waits until we finally decide that we are going to "post" something new...and for some we rarely post...

Lately that's what I have been feeling... God's been waiting for me to tell him how I am and what's going on in my life. Sure he knows everything.... but he loves hearing it from me firsthand... :D

I guess that's all I really wanted to say... I wanted to say sorry to anyone that was waiting for me to post...

especially my Abba Father for not giving you what you deserve... my thoughts, feelings, and prayers.

GODbless guys!
Katie